• HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
Thursday, March 4, 2021
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

New study: nine out of ten US infants experience gut microbiome deficiency

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
January 21, 2021
in Health
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Largest study to date benchmarks widespread, underrecognized microbiome-linked risk to infant immune system development, antibiotic resistance, acute conditions such as colic and diaper rash

IMAGE

Credit: Evolve BioSystems, Inc.

DAVIS, Calif., January 21, 2020 – A new peer-reviewed study reveals that the vast majority of U.S. infants may be suffering from a substantial deficiency in an important bacterium key to breast milk utilization and immune system development, as well as protection against gut pathogens linked to common newborn conditions such as colic and diaper rash.

According to the study published today in Scientific Reports, approximately nine out of ten infants are missing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) in their gut microbiome, a type of bacteria that plays a critical role in infant health and development. This specific type of gut bacteria has been widely documented as providing the most beneficial impact to infant gut health and possessing the ability to fully unlock the nutritional benefits of breast milk.

The study is the largest to date to benchmark the widespread deficiency in gut bacteria among U.S. infants, and the resulting diminished function of their gut microbiomes.

“The vast majority of infants are deficient in this key gut bacterium from the earliest weeks of life, and this is completely off the radar for most parents and pediatricians, alike” said study co-author Karl Sylvester, MD, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics and Associate Dean of Maternal Child Health Research, Stanford University. “This study provides the clearest picture to date of just how widespread this issue is and highlights the need to address B. infantis deficiency in the infant gut right from the start.”

B. infantis had been widely considered one of the most prevalent bacteria in the GI tracts of infants, accordingly its absence from such a wide swath of outwardly healthy infants is surprising. When present, B. infantis breaks down carbohydrates in human breast milk called human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) which are otherwise inaccessible to the infant. In fact, B. infantis differs from other Bifidobacteria species in its unique adaptation to human breastmilk and specifically in its ability to break down HMOs into usable nutrients. Perhaps more importantly, B. infantis is increasingly linked to the development of the infant immune system, protecting the infant intestinal tract from potentially dangerous bacteria as well as lower incidence of common childhood conditions like colic and diaper rash.

Researchers also discovered that potentially dangerous bacteria comprised, on average, 93 percent of all bacteria in the infant gut microbiome, with the most prevalent bacteria being Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Clostridium difficile (C. diff). Many of these bacteria are known to harbor genes related to antibiotic resistance. In fact, a total of 325 antibiotic resistant genes were found in the gut bacteria, with more than half (54 percent) of those genes being those that confer bacterial resistance to multiple antibiotics.

“The infant gut is essentially a blank slate at birth, and rapidly acquires bacteria from mom and the environment. We were surprised not only by the extensive lack of good bacteria, but the incredibly high presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and an environment of antibiotic resistance that appears to be so widespread,” said Dr. Sylvester. “The infant gut microbiome in the U.S. is clearly dysfunctional, and we believe this is a critical factor underpinning many of the infant and childhood ailments we see today across the country.”

Study Methodology

Researchers collected fecal samples from 227 infants under 6 months of age during pediatrician office visits in five different states (CA, GA, OR, PA, SC). The samples were analyzed for bacterial type and amount present, which represents the bacterial composition in the infants’ guts. The fecal samples were assessed for bacterial ability to fully use human breast milk — a hallmark of the presence of health-promoting bacteria, as well as for the presence of antibiotic resistant genes in the bacteria. The researchers did not include samples from infants with jaundice, those who were actively undergoing antibiotic treatment, or those diagnosed with problems with absorbing carbohydrates in their intestine, due to the impact such conditions may have on the ability of the infant gut to carry out normal processes.

Newborn Gut and the Impact on Newborn Health

The infant gut requires the presence of thousands of different bacteria to perform different functions – from biological processes to the development of biological structures and systems. Infant gut dysbiosis is marked by a substantial imbalance between beneficial and potentially pathogenic bacteria in the GI tracts of newborn babies. There has been a strong evidence characterizing a substantial loss of Bifidobacteria in the infant gut over the past 100 years, with research pointing to numerous factors including increased C section delivery, increased use of antibiotics and increased use of infant formula.

As a result of the loss of B. infantis, the infant gut is at greater risk for negative consequences including suboptimal access to the full value of human breast milk, compromised immune system development, an increase in harmful gut pathogens due to increased gut pH, and negative impact on the infant’s intestinal wall.

###

About Evolve BioSystems, Inc.

Evolve BioSystems, Inc. is a privately held microbiome company dedicated to researching solutions to establish, restore, and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Evolve is a portfolio company of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Horizons Ventures, the venture division of the Li Ka Shing Foundation. Evolve is a spin-off from the Foods for Health Institute (FFHI) at the University of California, Davis and builds on more than a decade of research into understanding the unique partnership of the infant gut

Media Contact
Megan Cuff

[email protected]

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80583-9

Tags: Medicine/HealthPediatrics
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

IMAGE

Researchers urge greater awareness of delayed skin reactions to Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

March 3, 2021
IMAGE

Mobile app helps young adults talk with friends about risky drug, alcohol use

March 3, 2021

How to track the variants of the pandemic faster

March 3, 2021

Accelerating gains in abdominal fat during menopause tied to heart disease risk

March 3, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

POPULAR NEWS

  • IMAGE

    Terahertz accelerates beyond 5G towards 6G

    665 shares
    Share 266 Tweet 166
  • People living with HIV face premature heart disease and barriers to care

    83 shares
    Share 33 Tweet 21
  • Global analysis suggests COVID-19 is seasonal

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10
  • HIV: an innovative therapeutic breakthrough to optimize the immune system

    36 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Tags

Cell BiologyTechnology/Engineering/Computer SciencePublic HealthEcology/EnvironmentInfectious/Emerging DiseasescancerBiologyMedicine/HealthClimate ChangeGeneticsMaterialsChemistry/Physics/Materials Sciences

Recent Posts

  • Research contributes to understanding of hypersonic flow
  • New microcomb could help discover exoplanets and detect diseases
  • Purdue Research Foundation partners with IdentifySensors Biologics for COVID-19 technology
  • Air pollution fell sharply during lockdown
  • Contact Us

© 2019 Bioengineer.org - Biotechnology news by Science Magazine - Scienmag.

No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

© 2019 Bioengineer.org - Biotechnology news by Science Magazine - Scienmag.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In